Lamar Odom Calls Matt Barnes ‘a Monkey’

Things got testy between the Lakers and Magic yesterday in Orlando, as the home team walked away with a hard-fought victory. Afterward, the salty Lakers were asked for their thoughts on Matt Barnes — who had gotten into it time and again with Kobe Bryant.

Bryant predictably laughed off the Magic’s defensive stopper, but teammate Lamar Odom did not hesitate to express how he truly felt about Barnes.

Odom yelled out that Barnes was “a monkey,” adding: “He picked the right game to act tough.” Later, after most reporters had left him, I asked Odom for clarification on that “monkey” comment. Odom said it referenced rapper Rick Ross calling 50 Cent “a monkey” in their rivalry.

“That’s an inside joke,” Odom said. “The rappers that are feuding with each other, Rick Ross and 50 Cent … they’re feuding with each other. That’s an inside joke with this team. Matt Barnes is a cool dude. If I call him a monkey, I don’t mean it. If I call him a superhero or a wrestling figure, I don’t mean it.

“He did what he had to do. He played a great game. He got the crowd involved. Basketball’s entertaining, as well. He did a great job for his team today.”

All’s fair in love and war, and basketball mini-feuds.

For his part, Barnes was cool and collected following the game, and local reporters were praising his play and demanding that the Magic give him a raise, and soon. Following his performance yesterday, the front-office in Orlando might not have any other choice.